sie feeding and caressing Zenobia, how we
longed for the power to tell her of the danger that so fearfully menaced
her pet, but we could not; for, though there is a 'language of flowers,'
it does not discourse on such a topic as this, therefore we were
compelled to keep silence; but we were determined to do our best to
guard little Susie's treasure. Night came, and dark and dreary it was
too, with heavy clouds drifting across the moon, almost hiding its
brightness; and it grew so late, past twelve, we began to think Mr.
Reynard suspected us, and would not come. But he did, looking so sleek
and shiny, with his coat all spick and span, being freshly brushed, I
expect.

'Here I am, my friends; it has taken me so long to dress,' he said,
panting with the haste he had evidently made. 'Is Zenobia--what a sweet
name, to be sure!' he added in a fawning voice,--'is she here?'

'Of course she is,' I replied; 'can you not hear her crooning to her
_nine_ children?' with a strong emphasis on the number.

'Sweet, tender creature!' he exclaimed. 'Oh, but to know her yet more
intimately! Let me jump over the gate to her!'

'What! without your gloves on?' cried several of us at once; 'consider
how very vulgar you would look.'

'Dear, dear, I quite forgot,' he ejaculated rather impatiently;
evidently he wanted his supper.

'Here they are,' said my brother; 'pray allow me the honour of putting
them on for you.'

He saw the fox was all impatience; however, he was obliged to consent,
and my brother proceeded forthwith to fit on a pair of Fox-gloves made
expressly by us.

'They are rather a tight fit,' he nervously remarked.

'Rather,' we cried, as my brother held him fast by the paws, and we went
to assist him in keeping the scoundrel a prisoner.

He saw, when too late, the trap into which he had fallen, and struggled
hard to get free, even trying to pull us from off the old wall in his
futile efforts to escape. But we were too securely fixed there for his
strength to be of any avail; our roots were the growth of years, and,
besides, we clasped him so tightly--for unity is indeed strength--that
at last the cowardly fellow roared aloud with mingled pain and fright;
perhaps he thought to startle us, and make us lose our hold. But we knew
better than that--_we_ only gripped him the faster; but the noise
aroused Dash, who came bounding to the spot (he was always unchained at
night), and, flying at Mr. Reynard's throat, he soon pinne